Referring now to FIG. 1 there is a detached elevated perspective view of an existing cylindrical-shaped particle dispenser cartridge 100 in a particle dispenser 10. The cartridge 100 includes an axial 101 and a dispenser nozzle 200. The dispenser nozzle 200, in turn, includes a dispenser nozzle outer surface 210. For good understanding, the reference number 210 is shown in FIG. 2, which figure is discussed below.
As shown in FIG. 1, the dispenser nozzle outer surface 210 includes plural sealing ribs 220 surrounding an included particle dispenser cartridge nozzle opening 120. In turn, the plural sealing ribs 220 include an outer sealing rib 230 and an inner sealing rib 240.
Still referring to FIG. 1, the dispenser nozzle 200 is arranged to engage a shutter 300. FIG. 1 depicts the shutter 300 in a “closed” position with respect to the nozzle opening 120. A reference line 91 is orthogonal to the axial 101, parallel to the cartridge inboard end 105 and intersects the shutter outer surface 310. In FIG. 1, as well as in FIGS. 2-6 described below, an included radial arrow “Y” originates at and is orthogonal to the axial 101 and extends through the center of the nozzle opening 120. In FIG. 1 the radial arrow Y is further labeled with the subscript “1”, thus “Y1”.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the cartridge 100 is rotated about the axial 101 by an angular amount “Z” with respect to the stationary shutter 300. As a result of such rotation by the cartridge 100, FIG. 2 thus depicts the shutter 300 in an “open” position with respect to the nozzle opening 120. In FIG. 2 the radial arrow Y is further labeled with the subscript “2”, thus “Y2”.
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is a further view of the shutter 300 in a “closed” position with respect to the nozzle opening 120, as described earlier in connection with FIG. 1 above. As shown in FIG. 3, the shutter 300 includes an inner shutter sealing surface 320 arranged to slide over the plural sealing ribs, thus sealing the particle dispenser cartridge nozzle opening 120. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, in one embodiment, the shutter 300 is held stationary with respect to the cartridge axial 101 by the particle dispenser housing 11 and 12. As the FIG. 3 shutter 300 “closed” position view corresponds to the earlier FIG. 1 view, the radial arrow Y in FIG. 3 likewise is labeled with the subscript “1”, thus “Y1”.
Referring now to FIGS. 4-5, with the shutter 300 stationary with respect to the cartridge axial 101, when the cartridge 100 rotates in a shutter-opening or leading direction (X) with respect to the shutter 300, the plural sealing ribs 220 slide or move in a like direction with respect to the shutter sealing surface 320 to thus unseal the particle dispenser cartridge nozzle opening 120.
Referring now to FIG. 4, there is depicted the cartridge 100 rotated in the direction X by an initial angular amount such that the shutter sealing surface 320 no longer contacts the leading edge 221 of the plural sealing ribs 220.
Referring now to FIG. 5, there is a further view of the shutter 300 in an “open” position with respect to the nozzle opening 120, as described earlier in connection with FIG. 2 above. As shown in FIG. 5, the cartridge 100 is rotated in the direction X by the total angular amount Z, the angular amount Z being depicted in FIG. 2. As a result of such cartridge 100 rotation, the shutter sealing surface 320 now no longer covers the leading edge 121 of the cartridge nozzle opening 120. As a result, particles 2 present in the particle dispenser cartridge nozzle outlet conduit 114 now flow 3 into the inlet conduit 14 of the particle dispenser 10. As the FIG. 5 shutter 300 “open” position view corresponds to the earlier FIG. 2 view, the radial arrow Y in FIG. 5 likewise is labeled with the subscript “2”, thus “Y2”.
Referring now to FIG. 6, with the shutter 300 stationary with respect to the cartridge axial 101, when the cartridge 100 now rotates in the opposite shutter-closing or trailing direction (X′) with respect to the shutter 300, the plural sealing ribs 220 slide or move in a like direction with respect to the shutter sealing surface, thereby now sealing the nozzle opening 120. As a result, the particle flow 3 of FIG. 5 now ceases.
Unfortunately, the cartridge 100 sometimes hangs-up in the dispenser 10. This hang-up problem occurs due to an interference between the short cartridge sealing ribs, that is, the leading sealing ribs 221 and the trailing sealing ribs 222, surrounding the cartridge nozzle opening 120 and an insert in the dispenser 10. This hang-up problem occurs more frequently when the dispenser 10 is misassembled or worn. This hang-up problem occurs upon installing the cartridge 100 in the dispenser 10, removing the cartridge 100 from the dispenser 10, or both. Also, the cartridge 100 sometimes hangs-up because of a small difference in the height and shape of the sealing ribs 220.
In the past, this cartridge 100 hang-up problem has required a field service technician to be dispatched to change-out the defective dispenser 10.
Thus, there is a need for an improved particle dispenser cartridge.